Gray Weather Survival Guide

The sky may be gray, but that’s no reason to feel blue. We’ve come up with plenty of ways to survive

By: Written By Francine Ruley and Lorna Yee with Amelia Apfel, Thea Chard, Brangien Davis, Rachel Hart, Manny Lewis and Kate Calamusa |   January 2010   |  FROM THE PRINT EDITION

Get in touch with your inner dolphin in The Hyatt at Olive 8’s saline pool.

3. Bring on The Toucans
When the dreary days drag you down, it’s time for an emergency intervention by the summery steel drum band The Toucans. This four-piece band (three steel drums and one drum kit) began at Evergreen College and has played thousands of other gigs in the Seattle area since 1988. While Toucan members have flown in and out of the coop over the years, the current flock consists of local musicians-about-town Rob Witmer, Pete Remine, Dave Pascal and Dave “Davee C” Carpenter. These “Tony Tigers of Steel” have a repertoire that includes reggae and calypso tunes, Latin and swing music, Beatles hits, and best of all, steel drum versions of pop music (their take on “Doin’ It Our Way,” the theme from Laverne & Shirley, is irresistible). Hire them to play in your backyard as a little pick-me-up—just give ’em a tent to keep the rain from filling the drums.